Happy Independence Day!
This Drink of the Week is an example of a pousse-cafe. The name is French for “coffee chaser” — it’s meant to be consumed after one’s after-dinner coffee, presumably to counteract the effects of caffeine so one can sleep. Pousse-cafes are layered drinks, each layer composed of a differently flavored and colored liquor poured carefully so they settle separately in strata.
Stars and Stripes
1 oz grenadine or maraschino syrup
1 oz blue caracao
1 oz cream
pour the grenadine or maraschino syrup into a shot glass. Invert a teaspoon and hold it in the glass, the tip angled down and barely touching the side of the glass just above the red liquor. Very slowly, pour the blue curacao over the back of the spoon so it floats on top. Repeat the process with the cream.
You can drink this as is — you’ll consume each liquor in sequence. Or after you’ve finished admiring the layers you can mix the whole thing up and drink.
Now, that’s an amusing and interesting drink, and a pretty one. But somehow it doesn’t seem quite enough on a day characterized by fireworks and grilling.
What if, instead of putting cream on the top, we light it on fire?
Rocket Launcher
A My Brilliant Mistakes original
1 oz grenadine or maraschino syrup
1 oz blue caracao
1 oz 151-proof rum (separated)
Pour the grenadine or maraschino syrup into a shot glass. Invert a teaspoon and hold it in the glass, the tip angled down and barely touching the side of the glass just above the red liquor. Very slowly, pour the blue curacao over the back of the spoon so it floats on top. Repeat the process with 3/4 oz of the rum.
Pour the remaining 1/4 oz rum in the bowl of a teaspoon. Close the rum bottle (so you don’t accidentally light the whole thing and create a real rocket launcher). Warm the teaspoon of rum over a match flame, then ignite. Carefully pour the flaming liquid into the layered shot glass.
The blue flame is easiest to see in a darkened room. (Quicktime video)
Blow the flame out before trying to drink your Rocket Launcher. It’s still going to burn — 151-proof rum doesn’t go down smoothly at all — but there shouldn’t be physical scarring.
And for your amusement, here’s me setting my cutting board on fire trying to light the drink. (Quicktime video)